


Maybe in Another Universe (I Deserve You)

by seekrest



Category: Spider-Man (Movies - Raimi), Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man (Video Game 2018), Spider-Man - All Media Types, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Genre: F/M, Fate & Destiny, Meant To Be, Multiverse, Peter Parker Gets a Hug, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker in Love, Soulmates, Their love transcends the stars and galaxies and universes, True Love, the can't eat can't sleep reach for the stars over the fence world series kind of love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-19
Updated: 2019-07-19
Packaged: 2020-07-08 16:23:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19872547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seekrest/pseuds/seekrest
Summary: "There’s this philosopher from the 1890s named William James, and he coined this theory about “the multiverse” which suggests that a hypothetical set of multiple universes comprises everything that can possibly exist simultaneously.The entirety of space, time, matter and energy is all happening at once in different timelines.Let's presume the multiverse is real.What if, in another universe, I deserve you?" - Gaby Dunn





	Maybe in Another Universe (I Deserve You)

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by this [BEAUTIFUL gifset by theblythe](https://theblythe.tumblr.com/post/186330779879/maybe-theres-a-universe-out-there-happening-now). The title, summary, and quotes interspersed are from [Maybe in Another Universe, I Deserve You ](https://thoughtcatalog.com/gaby-dunn/2012/05/maybe-in-another-universe-i-deserve-you/) by Gaby Dunn. 
> 
> The final quote is from an episode of The Get Down. 
> 
> <3

* * *

_Maybe there’s a universe out there_

_— happening now —_

_where we end up together._

* * *

He sees her, as soon as he walks in - his only purpose in being there. 

Holding Harry as he died, watching her leave the funeral - it all been too much. 

A part of Peter wonders if what they had, whatever friendship, whatever love, would be gone forever. 

But he had to find out anyway. 

MJ is singing, Peter always thought her voice was beautiful. He slowly walks up to her, recognizing the instant when her eyes meet his. 

A million thoughts ran through his head, none of which he’s able to express to her in that moment. 

This isn’t a time for words, maybe not even a time of reconciliation. 

Peter had never been very good at reading the room, for knowing the right time for things. 

He holds his hand out, searching for something in MJ’s eyes. 

Absolution? Forgiveness?

Peter feels he deserves neither, not after everything. 

But she takes his hand anyway.

He leads her down from the stage, the faintest hint of a smile on his lips. Peter won’t allow himself this small happiness, can’t shake the bridge that threatens to engulf them. 

But then she leans in, embracing him in a hug that Peter feels he doesn’t deserve. 

It’s like breathing, holding MJ - moving back and forth on a dance floor as if nothing has changed. 

Everything has changed. Nothing would ever be the same again. 

There’s a million things left for them to say, a thousand threads still to unravel...

But in the middle of a dimly lit bar, surrounded by chattering first dates and tipsy couples, Peter lets himself lean into her embrace and thinks that maybe, just maybe…

There might be hope for the two of them after all. 

* * *

_Maybe there’s a universe where that’s the life I want._

_Where I don’t second guess everything_

_and I’m not afraid of commitment,_

_and of the future and of love._

* * *

Peter stares intently at his phone, legs dangling listlessly over the building’s edge. 

The phone rings. And rings. 

But before he can risk it, before he can face the inevitable conversation - or worse, the imminent rejection - he hangs up. 

Peter sighs, looks up to city skyline. 

He always liked it up here. Quiet. The noise of the city a muted hum in the background. 

Peter used to bring MJ up here, thinks back to the early days - when he was young and his powers were just as new and as exciting as the love they shared. 

Still shared, he thinks. Peter loves her. 

But he didn’t want kids. 

And that had broke her heart. 

He shouldn’t be surprised, all that they’d gone through - all the life they’d shared. 

Why couldn’t he give her this one thing? Why couldn’t he get over himself, be the person that she needed?

Peter was Spider-Man, the hero of New York. 

And yet he couldn’t be the one thing his wife - _ex-wife_ \- had needed. 

A father. 

MJ deserved the world. Deserved everything that Peter couldn’t give. 

But sitting there, on a lonely balcony made lonelier in the knowledge that when he goes home, it won’t be _home_ that he goes to - Peter wonders if maybe in another life, he could be what she needed. 

Peter would do anything for MJ. 

But he couldn’t do this. 

* * *

_Maybe there’s a universe_

_where I’m the right person for you._

* * *

Peter is proud of her, his whole face lit up in a smile as he shakes her hand, congratulates her. 

The associate editor gig is a good one for her, Peter knows how hard MJ has worked. 

But Peter can’t help but think that it wouldn’t matter what she did - whatever news she would’ve had to share - he was just glad to be with her. 

She asks about work but Peter dismisses it, the pain of his failure with Otto still a bit too sore. 

Peter doesn’t like to dwell on it, MJ changing the conversation in stride - easily pivoting the conversation to his jokingly suggested career plans. 

He likes that about her, Peter thinks. Her ability to see a situation, evaluate what’s going on and adjust accordingly. 

He’d missed that about her. 

She notices the backpack, makes a sarcastic remark. 

Peter hadn’t expected for her to offer anything, he really hadn’t intended this being anything other than an innocent stop between… friends. 

Were they friends? Still? 

But then she offered a place to stay. 

Her place. 

What used to be theirs. 

Peter stammers over his words, like an idiot but MJ just smiles, hands perilously close to his, saying the words that give Peter more hope than he’s felt in months.

Peter smiles, leans in. 

And so does she. 

Kissing her feels like everything was right with the world, like for just a moment - Peter’s luck hadn’t completely run out. 

It was just an invitation, no promises were made. 

But as his lips are pressed against hers, the joy he felt when she walked in bubbling over into something almost like love - Peter thinks that maybe this time, they’d make it work.

Maybe this time, they’d make it right. 

* * *

_You just met me in the wrong universe - that’s all._

_Because you_

_could’ve loved me forever._

* * *

MJ looks out into the crowd, seeing the image of the man she loved all around her. 

It shouldn’t hurt as much as it does, MJ knew the risks. So had Peter. 

The whole city had felt like it came to a standstill, a feat that would’ve made Peter laugh, she thinks. 

He used to joke about that with her, the idea that the city would fall apart without him. That it barely seemed like it could contain itself for longer than a few hours at a time before some inevitable problem would arrive. 

She’d laugh with him, agreeing. 

Peter had been the brightest part of her world. 

And now he was gone. 

She takes another deep breath, giving a speech that she’d written countless times in her head over the years, the eulogy she had agonized over only in her nightmares. 

A widow at twenty-six. 

She wonders what she did to deserve this. 

As MJ looks out into the crowd, finding the courage within herself that she’s not even sure she really has, she reminds herself of what Peter lived for.

Of what Peter had died for. 

She finishes the speech. The cameras and mics are taken away. MJ closes her eyes, takes a deep breath. 

Peter had been her husband, the absolute love of her life. Even as her breath shakes, as May quietly steps up behind her - MJ can’t stop thinking about Peter. 

About how strong Peter had been. 

How kind. How gentle. How good. 

Peter had never gone down without a fight. 

Peter had - time and time again - always got right back up. 

As the crowd slowly walks away, MJ’s eyes glistening with tears… 

She wishes again - just one last time - that that had always been true. 

* * *

_And maybe,_

_in another universe,_

_I let you._

* * *

She rushes up to him, Peter feeling relieved.

It’s a hug that grounds him, her arms tightly enclosed around him. Peter closes his eyes, leaning into it. 

MJ could’ve died. 

Peter almost did. 

Peter pushes the thought of his mind and just holds her, willing himself to remember that Beck was dead and that it was over. 

It was awkward. The first time.

The kiss is out of nowhere, so quick Peter almost thinks if he blinked, he would’ve missed it. 

MJ just smiles at him, Peter stammering in response. 

She shared that she liked it better broken, a look in her eyes that almost makes him think that maybe… MJ meant more than just the necklace. 

That maybe even if he was broken, that she would still like him too. 

The second kiss is just as awkward, just as slightly out of reach. 

He and MJ had never been particularly smooth. He can’t help but think of the moment in the airplane, that moment on the bridge the first time. 

But here they were again.

Another moment. 

Another bridge.

He kisses her a third time, softer this time. Slower. 

Peter closes his eyes, thinking that nothing on this trip had gone according to plan. 

He’d failed. Over and over again. 

Beck. 

Brad. 

None of it went like he planned. 

And yet here they were - standing on another bridge, MJ’s hand softly cradling his face, a strand of curls brushing against his face. 

They break apart, Peter almost wondering if this was too good to be true, if this wasn’t just another illusion, another trick that his heart had wanted to see. 

MJ just smiles.

Peter smiles back. 

As she walks away, looking back over her shoulder, Peter thinks that maybe this wasn’t just a dream.

That maybe it really happened. 

Peter grins, almost jumping for joy as he turns away. 

Two bridges. No, three. 

Nothing had gone according to plan. But Peter didn’t care. 

MJ liked him. 

_Really_ liked him. 

And he really, _really_ liked her back. 

* * *

_Have you ever been in love?_

_Yes._

_How did it end?_

_._

_._

_._

_._

_It hasn’t.  
_


End file.
